Bay College offers youth STEAM camps

ESCANABA — Bay College Training and Development (M-TEC) will be offering two youth summer STEAM camps: Lego Robotics Camp and Inventing with Gizmos + Gadgets. Both programs help fulfill the demand for youth STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) programs.

Lego Robotics Camp will teach youth valuable engineering concepts and programming skills in a fun and engaging way, using the EV3 Lego Mindstorms robotics kits. The Lego Robotics system was designed to be simple and easy for children to use. Structural pieces snap together and come apart without tools, allowing for quick build times and easy modifications. A variety of gears, wheels and other accessories allows for complete customization of robots, which can then be programmed via a tablet or laptop.

Lego Robotics Camp will take place at Bay College West Campus in Iron Mountain the weeks of July 30-Aug. 2 and Aug. 6-9. In Escanaba, the program will take place at Bay College M-TEC the following weeks: June 18-21, June 25-28, July 9-12 and July 16-19. Two sessions run each week; a morning session from 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., and an afternoon session that runs from 1 to 4 p.m. This program is made possible through partnership with Michigan Works!…is Upward.

Inventing with Gizmos & Gadgets will empower kids to create working circuits and inventions using special electronic building blocks called littleBits. The blocks are easy-to-use because they magnetically snap together and don’t require soldering. The blocks come in four different varieties including motors, sensors, inputs and outputs. Kids will learn the basics for designing electronic and mechanical devices and introduce them to the invention cycle. Each week students will be faced with challenges that require them to create an invention in order to solve the problem. This type of learning experience gives kids the tools they need to “invent” new kinds of electro-mechanical devices using both science and their imaginations.

Inventing with Gizmos + Gadgets will take place at the M-TEC building at Bay College in Escanaba the weeks of July 23-26 and Aug. 13-16. Two sessions run each week; a morning session from 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., and an afternoon session that runs from 1 pm – 4 pm. This program is made possible through partnership with Stewart Manufacturing.

Pre-registration for both camps is required to reserve a spot. There is a fee to attend that includes a daily snack and camp shirt. To register or view the camp schedules, visit www.baycollege.edu/invent. For more information call (906) 217-4200.